JAMES JOHNSTON HOWE is a well-known citizen of Peters township. His ancestors came from Scotland many years ago and settled in eastern Pennsylvania, where James Howe was born and reared. James Howe learned the blacksmith's trade, and then settled on a farm near Washington, in Washington Co, Penn. He was married to Miss Margaret Clark, of this county, who bore him the following children: William, Mary, Ann, Jane, Thomas, James, Elizabeth, David, Nancy aud Margaret of whom James, Elizabeth, Nancy and Margaret are yet living. Mr. Howe followed his trade until 1822, then came to the home farm in Peters township, this county, where he was also engaged in farming. Prior to 1840 he was a Democrat, but after the Harrison campaign joined the Whig party, which was eventually merged into the Republican faction. He died in 1863. William Howe, eldest son of James and Margaret Howe, was born October 29, 1816, in Buffalo township, Washington Co., Penn. He passed his youth in performing the usual duties of farm life, and also learned the blacksmith's trade. In 1847 he was united in marriage with Nancy, daughter of James Johnston, of Peters township, this county, and the young people located on a farm near the old place, where he worked at his trade, but afterward removed to Allegheny county, Penn., where they remained two years. In 1865 they returned to Washington county, and locating on the home place, he abandoned his trade and devoted the remnant of his life to farming. He died February 7,1872, leaving one son, James Johnston. James Johnston Howe, son of William and Nancy Howe, was born on the home place, in Peters township, August 23, 1848. He attended the Canonsburg Academy for two terms, and when his father died left school to take charge of the home farm. On October 18, 1882, he married Elizabeth M., daughter of William H. Carpenter, a prominent farmer of Lawrence county, Penn. The home farm contains eighty-five acres of excellent land, and when wool was selling at a high price Mr. Howe made a specialty of sheep raising. Politically, he is a stanch Republican, and in religion is a member and liberal supporter of the Greenside Avenue United Presbyterian Church, of Canonsburg.

Text taken from page 945 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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